On May 17 Belarusian businessman and public figure Anatol Krasouski is 52. On September 16, 1999 Anatol Krasouski and his friend vice speaker of the 13th Soviet Viktar Hanchar were abducted by unknown. Anatol Krasouski, as Viktar Hanchar, was a serious rival of Alyaxandr Lukashenka. It is supposed that Krasouski’s abduction was a reprisal for financing opposition. Five years have passed, but Belarusian Prosecutor’s office failed to carry out objective investigation of disappearance case. Many facts prove that highest Belarusian officials were involved in abduction of Anatol Krasouski.

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Printing house “Svetach” in Minsk refused to print the newspaper “Novaya Gazeta Smorgoni”. Its publication was to be renewed after a long halt. The founder of the newspaper Ramuald Ulan was to look for another printing house, Radio Svaboda informs.

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It is unlikely that someone in Russian government would support the idea of the third term for Lukashenka. This statement was made by a famous Russian political scientist, chairman of the Council of Foreign and Defense Policy of Russia Sergei Karaganov at the meeting with Belarusian journalists in Moscow on May 17. As said by him, there are lots of decent and intelligent people in Belarus, who can make a claim for the highest position. “I personally know a dozen of such people,” added Karaganov. As the political scientist said, the information about repressions against prominent political and public figures of Belarus is observed with “concern” and “indignation”. As said by him, “when we see that Stalin variants begin”, it “makes us reassess the possibility of constructive dialogue with Minsk”.

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Gazprom expects to reach agreement with the Belarusian government on conditions for the privatization of the country’s gas pipeline operator, Beltransgaz, in October, Aleksandr Ryazanov, deputy head of the Russian gas giant, told Belarusian journalists in Moscow on May 17.

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